Tim Runtsch
Tim is the lead pastor at Redeemer Lutheran Church, which has supported the Mission in various ways, including funding for the new homeless resolution center and for the temporary winter overflow shelter at Harvest Farm.
Why is it important to your church to support our work?
Jesus calls us to care for the lost and left out. Matthew 25 says, “When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat.
When I was sick, you took care of me.” And this just fits in line as a part of who we are. I think also there’s a sense of being a part of our community. We want to be the hands and feet of Christ or at least support those who are, here in our community. We want to be great neighbors, love people in the name of Jesus and work through partners rather than going it alone.
Has there been a particularly meaningful moment during your involvement with us?
The love you show through the services that you offer is what I witnessed when we went to Farm to Table and other events. Those were really positive ways for us to feel engaged with your organization and feel good about your approach to loving and serving people in need.
What impact do you hope the new homeless resolution center will have?
We hope it will make a bigger impact, by having day use facilities and the opportunity for people to receive more services, all with the goal of making homelessness not a dead end, but a transition to a different way of living for many of these folks. Our hope is that that’s the real benefit, that it’s going to lead to people moving on from homelessness.
What does it mean to you to serve those in need, especially around Easter?
The resurrection story is about newness of life today and that we can experience the full joy of Jesus’ resurrection, even on this side of eternity. The transformations that come in a person’s life by knowing Jesus Christ—being moved from death to life, from despair to hope, from anxiety to peace—all of those are blessings and important byproducts of the resurrection of Christ. In particular, at the Farm event, there were people who told their stories of being transformed and how it gave them a new lease on life and a new opportunity. Those were very moving stories.
This post is part of March’s Changing Lives Newsletter. This month, we’re sharing Justin’s story through grief, addiction and homelessness to living with a purpose in: Hope Reborn.
